1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods and devices for placing a conduit in fluid communication with a lumen of a target vessel, and more particularly methods and devices for placing such a conduit in fluid communication with a target vessel and a source of blood.
2. Description of the Related Art
Despite the considerable advances that have been realized in cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, heart disease remains the leading cause of death throughout much of the world. Coronary artery disease, or arteriosclerosis, is the single leading cause of death in the United States today. As a result, those in the cardiovascular field continue to search for new and improved treatments.
Coronary artery disease is currently treated by interventional procedures such as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), atherectomy and coronary stenting, as well as surgical procedures including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The goal of these procedures is to reestablish or improve blood flow through occluded (or partially occluded) coronary arteries, and is accomplished, for example, by enlarging the blood flow lumen of the artery or forming a bypass that allows blood to circumvent the occlusion. What procedure(s) is used typically depends on the severity and location of the blockages. When successful, these procedures restore blood flow to myocardial tissue that had not been sufficiently perfused due to the occlusion.
Another treatment that has been recently proposed places the target vessel in fluid communication with a heart chamber, for example, the left ventricle. The target vessel and the heart chamber may be communicated by a conduit passing through the myocardium. Some of the challenges associated with such procedures include proper positioning of the conduit in the myocardium as well as correct placement of the conduit in a coronary artery.
As shown by these and other attempts to develop new and improved treatments that may be used to deliver blood to myocardial tissue, there remains a need in the art for methods and devices that may be used to place a conduit in fluid communication with a target vessel and a source of blood.